Lid latch assembly

ABSTRACT

A clip includes an upper platform, a back plate extending downwardly from the upper platform, and a pair of legs extending downwardly from the upper platform. Each leg includes a latch portion protruding laterally therefrom. The clip can be installed into an existing roll out cart design.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/186,962, filed Jun. 15, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Roll out carts and other large waste containers often include a lid that is hingeably attached to the body of the container. High winds or animals sometimes open the lids to access the waste inside the container. Latches are sometimes provided to help keep the lid closed. However, the latch sometimes does not function well because the lids do not always align consistently with the container. As a result, sometimes the existing latches do not hold the lid closed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A clip includes an upper platform, a back plate extending downwardly from the upper platform, and a pair of legs extending downwardly from the upper platform. Each leg includes a latch portion protruding laterally therefrom. The clip can be installed into an existing roll out cart design.

The clip may further include gussets angling downwardly from the upper platform to outer surfaces of the legs. The clip may further include a rib extending downwardly from the upper platform between the legs and interconnecting the legs.

The clip can be installed onto a lid of a container, with the upper platform secured against the lid and the legs protruding downwardly from a forward end of the lid. The legs of the clip are received into at least two openings in a horizontal portion of the container when the lid is closed to secure the lid in a closed position. The legs deflect inwardly while the lid is being opened or closed to permit the latch portions to snap past the horizontal portion

These and other features of the application can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roll out cart according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of the roll out cart of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the roll out cart.

FIG. 4 is front view of the roll out cart.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the roll out cart.

FIG. 6 shows the roll out cart of FIG. 1 with the lid open.

FIG. 7 shows the roll out cart of FIG. 6 with the lid removed.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a front portion of the roll out cart of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the lid of FIG. 1, with the latch assembly removed.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the latch assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a front view of the latch assembly of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the latch assembly of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the lid and latch assembly.

FIG. 14 is an assembled view of the lid and latch assembly.

FIG. 15 shows the lid and latch assembly latched to the roll out cart, with the lid partially broken away.

FIG. 16 shows the lid and latch assembly latched to the roll out cart, with the skirt of the container broken away.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged front view of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 17 of an alternate embodiment in which the lid and clip are formed integrally.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A roll out cart 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The roll out cart 10 includes a body portion 12 defining an interior compartment for waste or recyclable material and a lid 14 hingeably connected to the body portion 12 to selectively cover an upper opening of the body portion 12. The body portion 12 includes an upper lip 16 extending about an outer periphery of the upper opening of the body portion 12. The lip 16 is continuous with a front skirt 18, which may be used for handling equipment to lift and dump the roll out cart 10. A handle 20 is formed at a rear of the body portion 12, and the lid 14 is hingeably connected to the handle 20. Wheels 24 may also be provided at the rear of the body portion 12.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, a forward end of the lid 14 includes a small plateau 26 having a latch assembly 28 attached thereto. FIG. 5 is a side view of the roll out cart 10.

FIG. 6 illustrates the roll out cart 10 with the lid 14 open. The upper periphery of body portion 12 circumscribing the mouth of the body portion 12 includes a horizontal portion 30 having openings 32 therethrough. FIG. 7 illustrates the body portion 12 without the lid 14.

Referring to FIG. 8, the upper periphery of the body portion 12 further includes a vertical portion 34 projecting upward from an inward edge of the horizontal portion

FIG. 9 illustrates the lid 14 without the latch assembly 28 (FIG. 2). As shown, an opening 38 is formed through the plateau 26 to accommodate the latch assembly 28.

FIG. 10 illustrates the latch assembly 28, including an upper washer 42 and a lower clip portion 44. The clip portion 44 includes an upper platform 46. A back plate 48 extends downwardly from the upper platform 46. A pair of generally parallel legs 50 extend downward from the upper platform 46. Each leg 50 includes a latch portion 52 protruding outwardly from a lower end thereof. The back plate 48 prevents garbage from contacting the legs 50 and breaking them or fouling them when the cart 10 is dumped. Gussets 54 angle downwardly from the upper platform 46 to outer surfaces of the legs 50. A rib 60 extends downwardly from the upper platform 46 between the legs 50 and interconnects the legs 50. FIGS. 11 and 12 are front and side views of the latch assembly 28. As shown in FIG. 12, the legs 50 include a wider upper portion and taper down to the lower end.

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the lid 14, latch assembly 28 (i.e. upper washer 42 and clip portion 44) and a fastener 56. As shown in FIG. 14, the fastener 56 secures the latch assembly 28 to the lid 14. Alternatively, the clip portion 44 could be attached to the lid 14 by adhesive, or by any combination of fasteners, such as rivets, bolts or other fasteners through one or more holes through the lid 14 and upper platform 46 of the clip portion 44.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the latch area of the roll out cart 10 with a portion of the lid 14 cut away. As shown, the legs 50 of the clip portion 44 are inserted into one or more of the openings 32 in the horizontal portion 30 in the upper periphery of the body portion 12. The back plate 48 extends behind the vertical portion 34, adjacent the periphery of the body portion 12. Because the legs 50 are biased against one another, the latch portions 52 (FIG. 16) will be secured below the horizontal portion 30 and the latch in general does not rely on the alignment of the lid 14 on the container 12.

FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of the latch area of the roll out cart 10 with the skirt 18 cut away. FIG. 17 is an enlarged front view of the latch area of FIG. 16. When latched, the legs 50 of the clip portion 44 are disposed on either side of a vertical rib 58 that connects the skirt 18 (FIG. 1) to the body portion 12. The latch portions 52 of the legs 50 catch under the horizontal portion 30 of the periphery of the body portion 12. This assists in keeping the lid 14 closed on the body portion 12. A user can lift the lid 14, causing the legs 50 to deflect toward one another to release the latch assembly 28. When the lid 14 is closed again, the legs 50 deflect inwardly as the latches 52 pass through the openings 32 and then catch under the horizontal portion 30.

In the embodiment shown, the lid 14 and body portion 12 are known designs, such that the latch assembly 28 can be added simply by forming the opening 38 in the plateau 26 of the lid 14. However, other lid 14 and body portion 12 configurations could be adapted to the latch assembly 28 disclosed herein. Appropriate modifications to the latch assembly 28 could also be made in order to accommodate other roll out cart designs within the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 17 of an alternate lid 114 in which the lid 114 and clip portion 144 are formed integrally. The lid 114 is integrally molded with the clip portion 144 as a single molded piece of plastic, including the legs 150, latch portions 152, back plate 148, gussets 154 and rib 160 interconnecting the legs 150. Operation of the lid 114 and clip portion 144 is the same as the first embodiment.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. For example, the inventive clip arrangement could be used with containers without wheels, including containers other than waste/recycling containers. 

1. A clip comprising: an upper platform; a back plate extending downwardly from the upper platform; and a pair of legs extending downwardly from the upper platform, each leg including a latch portion protruding laterally therefrom.
 2. The clip of claim 1 further including gussets angling downwardly from the upper platform to outer surfaces of the legs.
 3. The clip of claim 2 further including a rib extending downwardly from the upper platform between the legs and interconnecting the legs.
 4. A lid including the clip of claim 1, with the upper platform secured against the lid and the legs protruding downwardly from a forward end of the lid.
 5. The lid of claim 4 wherein the clip and lid are integrally molded as a single piece of material.
 6. A container with the lid of claim 4, the container having a body portion defining an interior compartment, the lid hingeably connected to the body portion to selectively cover an upper opening of the body portion.
 7. The container of claim 6 wherein the body portion includes a horizontal portion near a front periphery of the upper opening, the horizontal portion including at least one opening into which the legs of the clip are received when the lid is closed.
 8. The container of claim 7 wherein the legs are biased in opposite directions when the lid is closed.
 9. The container of claim 7 further including a vertical portion extending upwardly from the horizontal portion inwardly of the at least two openings, and wherein the vertical portion is received between the back plate of the clip and the legs of the clip when the lid is closed.
 10. The container of claim 9 wherein the latch portions of the legs contact the horizontal portion to resist opening of the lid when the lid is closed.
 11. The container of claim 10 wherein the legs deflect inwardly while the lid is being opened or closed to permit the latch portions to snap past the horizontal portion.
 12. A container comprising: a body portion defining an interior compartment; a lid hingeably connected to the body portion to selectively cover an upper opening of the body portion; and a clip protruding downwardly from the lid, the clip including a pair of legs extending downwardly, each leg including a latch portion protruding laterally therefrom.
 13. The container of claim 12 wherein the latch portions of each leg protrude laterally outwardly away from the legs.
 14. The container of claim 13 wherein the body portion includes a horizontal portion near a front periphery of the upper opening, the horizontal portion including at least two openings into which the legs of the clip are received when the lid is closed.
 15. The container of claim 14 further including a vertical portion extending upwardly from the horizontal portion inwardly of the at least two openings, and wherein the vertical portion is received between a back plate of the clip and the legs of the clip when the lid is closed.
 16. The container of claim 14 wherein the latch portions of the legs contact the horizontal portion to resist opening of the lid when the lid is closed.
 17. The container of claim 16 wherein the legs deflect inwardly while the lid is being opened or closed to permit the latch portions to snap past the horizontal portion.
 18. A clip comprising: an upper platform; and a pair of legs extending downwardly from the upper platform, each leg including a latch portion protruding laterally therefrom away from the pair of legs.
 19. The clip of claim 18 further including gussets angling downwardly from the upper platform to outer surfaces of the legs.
 20. The clip of claim 19 further including a rib extending downwardly from the upper platform between the legs and interconnecting the legs. 